Chain driving-gear.



No. 736,999. PATENTED AUG. 25, 1909.

E. F. MORSE. CHAIN DRIVING GEAR.

APPLICATION rum) um. 10. 1999. nmrnwnn mm. 21, 1902.

9 slums-SHEET 1.

71917265565: r I iwerzlar MXY M Altar/my;

, No. 736,999. PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903.

E. F. MORSE.

CHAIN DRIVING GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.10, 1899. RENEWED MAR. 21, 1902.

IO HODEL. 3 SHEBTS-SHEET 2.

flfv'rzaslsasx 1120622502 6. @ie/W zwrezrFMomg 9 W 31 M Ma! No. 736,999.I PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903.

' E. r. MORSE.

CHAIN. DRIVING GEAR.

APPLIOATIOKIILED MAR. 10, 1899. RENEWED XAB. 21, 1902.

I0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-BHBET 3.

fififrze'fises: GT3 I12V672f0r 0 EwareiZZL/Yamz;

} UNITED STATES Patented August 25, 1903 PATENT OFFICE.

EVERETT F. MORSE, OF TRUMANSBURG, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE MORSE CHAINCOMPANY, OF TRUMANSBURG, NEW YORK.

CHAVIN DRIVING-GEAR.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 736,999, dated August25, 1903.

pp t o filed March 10,1899. Renewed March 21,1902. seriaino, 99mm.(Nnmmlnll...

construction wherein the effect will be the same whichever part isflexed or swung with relation to the other. While the invention isdesigned for general use, it is especially adaptable to joints indrive-chains, and the invention will be described with reference to thisapplication thereof.

One object of the invention is the construction of a rocker-joint for adrive-chain which will operate equally well whether the pres-' sure indriving is applied to one end or to the other of the links. i

In. the general construction of drive-chains with rocker-joints to onlyone half of the mem hers or links has the pressure of driving beenapplied, the other half being used simply as tension members for holdingthe engaged members together.

I In the presentinvention, however-,the mem-' bers or links bear equallythe burden of driving. One end of each link is engaged by thedriving-sprocket and the other end of each engages the driven sprocket.The action of the joint is equally efiective in both instances. In suchachain where every link atthesprockets is doing duty smooth and silentrunning is insured. Silent running is alsoenhanced by each link.touching the sprockets only at the end to which the pressure in drivingis applied. 7

Another object of the invention is the reduction to a minimum of thefriction in a joint, and consequently the production of a chain in whichthe lengthening orstretching due to wear in the joints shall benegligible. The only meansby which chain-driving can be made practicablelies in the construction of a chain whose pitch shall not changeperceptibly by long use, since in chains where stretching is noteliminated the pitch between the chain and the sprocketwvneels soon va-7 ries to such a degree as to destroy both the sprocket-wheels and thechain. Stretching is eliminated in the present construction by makingthe parts of thejoint of the best hardened tool-steel and by soconstructing the joint that the action between the parts thereof whentinder strain is wholly of the rolling sort, and therefore practicallyfrictionless.

Having'in view the purpose and end above outlined, the inventionconsists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of partshereinafter fully described, and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification,Figure 1 represents in side elevation a pair ofsprocket-wheels and achain thereon. Fig. 2 represents in plan a portion of a drive-chainwherein each link is, in elfect, composed of several plates placed. sideby side, the plates of each link alternating with and overlapping theends of those in the adjacent links. Fig. 3 represents the plates inthree links of a chain of this sort separated. Figs. 4 and 5 representin side and end elevation, respectively, the parts of the duplexrocker-joint on a scale double that of Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Fig. 6 is a aplan of a chain with asolid middle link or block, to which thisinvention is adaptable. Fig. 7 represents the links of this chainseparated and shows a modification in the shape of the outside links.Fig. 8 represents in end elevation a modification in the parts of theduplex joint. Fig. 9 shows a modification of the invention. Fig. 10shows a further modification in the parts of the duplex joint. Figs. 11and 12 show a modification in the chain and sprocket whereby lateraldisplacement of the chain upon the sprocket is prevented. Figs. 13 to 16disclose a modification in the coacting faces of the parts of the pintleand of the rocking member. Figs. 17, 18, and 19 illustrate, on anenlarged scale, the

-movements of the parts of the joint.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, A represents the driving-sprocket, and B thedriven sprocket, while 0 and 0 refer to one set of members or links ofthe chain and D to the other or alternate set. The plates 0' constituteWhat may be termed the outside links or those which are secured to theends of the pintles and confine the other links or plates between them.

The joint, in which the main features of the invention reside, consistsof the part E, which may be termed the pintle and to which the outsidelinks are secured, the part F, which may be termed the associate pintle,and the part G, which will be termed the rocking member of the joint.These three parts constitute, in effcct,,a pintle; but for greaterclearness in description it will be best to speak of them as designatedabove.

The pintle E may have the outside links secured to it in any suitablemanner; but they are preferably secured thereto in the manner shown inPatent No. 583,151, granted May 25, 1897, wherein the ends of the pintleare cut away to provide shoulders for sustaining the outside links andare provided with nicks 14, Fig. 4, into which metal of the outsidelinks is forced to hold them in place. associate pintle F is incross-section the counterpart of the pintle and is located with thepintle in the apertures formed in the ends of the intermediate links.Itis prevented from longitudinal movement by the outside links and ispreferably prevented from axial movement in said opening by lugs, as 15,formed upon the intermediate links and projecting into a groove, as 16,formed in the outer surface of the part F. The pintle E may also haveformed upon it a groove 16, thereby making it possible to construct allthe intermediate links after the same pattern or by the same die. It isalso expedient to have this groove in the part E, inasmuch as by sodoing only one kind of stock is necessary for the production of parts Eand F, since they are then in all respects alike in cross-section. Whenthis plan is followed,'the outside links C will likewise be providedwith the lugs 15 in order to fill the groove 16 on the pintle. Thegroove in the pintle may, however, be omitted and the intermediate linksformed without the lug. In Fig. 8 the pintle is shown without thegroove. The parts of the pintle may also be prevented from turning inthe links by flattening one side, as shown at 21 in Figs. 17 to 19.

The parts E and F are provided on their proximate sides withbearing-surfaces, here shown as plane surfaces extending lengthwise ofthe said parts along the middle thereof. These surfaces may be concaveor convex, as shown, respectively, on the pintles in Patents Nos.583,150 and 583,151, granted May 25, 1897. Between thesebearing-surfaces is located the third member of the joint-the rockingmember G. This member preferably consists of a cylindrical or spher-'ical body or a body having convex surfaces for engagement with thebearing-surfaces of the pintle and associate pintle. Any suit- Thethereon or connected thereto, as indicated at 17, Figs. 5 and 10, or twowebs may be provided, as shown in Fig. 8. In the first two instances theweb is terminated by a flange which takes into grooves formed in theedges of the parts E and F to hold the head of the rocking member inplace. Where two webs are used, they engage the wall of the aperturecontaining the pintle, and so prevent displacement of the rockingmember. If the parts E and F have convex bearing-surfaces in accordancewith the above patents, then the part G might have planebearing-surfaces. Also in place of the grooves formed in the edges ofthe parts E and F to receive the flange on the web of the rocking memberbeads or ribs may be formed along one side of the bearing-surfaces,against which said flange and also the head of the rocking member mayengage. This variation is shown in Figs. 17, 18, and 19.

It will be noted that the pintles E, joining any two outside links, havetheir bearingsurfaces facing each other and that these surfaces are atright angles to the line of strain upon the chain and that the pintlesare fixed in this position. It will also be noted that the same is trueof the associate pintles F with respect to the links D, they being fixedagainst rotation in the apertures of the links by the lugs and grooves.above described. Therefore these parts of each joint hold theirbearing-surfaces parallel when the chain is straight, as seen in theexposed joint at W, Fig. 1. The rocking member G is then looked betweensaid parts by means of the web and flange.

Therocking member as the chain is bent around a sprocket clings to thatpart of the pintle which is secured to the end of the link engaging orengaged by the sprocket. That it will always do this is readilyperceived by an inspection of Fig. 1. Referring tothe exposed joint at Xin said figure, it will be observed that links D rest on the sprocketat.

the ends containing this joint and that links 0 and 0 do not rest on thesprocket at the ends containing the same joint, but turn on joint Zfreely while mounting the revolving sprocket. As a result of this actionthere is an outward pressure or a pressure away from the center of thesprocket on the ends of the links engaging the sprocket, and there is nosimilar pressure on the ends of the links that turn free of thesprocket. The outward pressure on the engaging end of the links sets upthe force which controls the action of the duplex rocker G. The pressureof pintle E against rocker G being wholly the effect of the directtension of the chain acts in the direction of the length of link 0 andperpendicular to the plane rolling-base of pintle E; but the pressure ofpintle F against rocker G is the resultant of the tension of links (1and C and the pressure of the sprocket against the ends of links 0 and0, containing pintle F of joint Z. This resultant is equal and oppositeto the pressure of pintle E, joint Z on rocker G, and which, it will beobserved, is oblique to the plane rolling-base of pintle F. The actionof this oblique force is to hold duplex rocker G into the angle formedby the rolling base and rib at the edge thereof on pintle F and causesthe duplex rocker G to cling to pintle F, which is the pintle attachedto the end of the link engaging the sprocket. When any twoconnecting-links are free of the sprocket, the chain tension holds themin line, and the duplex rocker is then retained in position, as shown injoint W.

In the exposed joint at Y the same tendency on the part of the associatepintle F to roll the rocking member against the pintle E exists and willpersist up to the moment when the bearing-surfaces on the parts E and Fcome into parallelism and the rocking member is locked between them. Asthe chain passes off the driven sprocket and onto the driving-sprocketthe part G rocks from one member of the joint to the other, as seen bycomparison of the corresponding joints at Y and Z.

The exact coaction of the three parts of the joint is as follows,reference being had to the joint broken into at V, Fig. 1, to disclosethe formation at the link or member 0: The rocking member as the chainis bent around the sprocket clings to that part of the pintle which issecured to the end of the link engaging or engaged by the sprocket and,to gether with it, rocks on that pintle Which is free to turn in the endof the link engaging with or engaged by the sprocket. The latter pintle,of course, is secured to the end of the link which does not engage withthe sprocket. In the first instance the links or members D engage thesprocket, and O clings toF and E rocks upon G as the link or members Dare swung up into line with the preceding links. The engaged end of thelink on the driving-sprocket is the free end. of the link on the drivensprocket and the engaged end of the link on the driven sprocket is thefree end of the link on the driving-sprocket. This reversal requires forthe perfect rolling action in all the joints that there should becorresponding reversals in rolling-bases, and the present constructionprovides for this. Any likelihood of the rocking member to slip on thebearing-surfaces when the chain is used in driving where reversals indirection are frequent may be avoided by making the coaction of theparts of the joint positive. This may be done, as illustrated in Figs.13 to 16, wherein the parts of the pintle are provided with toothed orfluted portions at the ends of the bearing-surfaces, as indicated at 18on pintle E atl9 on associate pintle F and at 20 on the rocking membersG These teeth start at a certain distance below the bearing-surfaces ofsaid parts and project about the same distance above them and are simplyintended to keep the respective parts in proper juxtaposition, thestrain or pressure of the joint being borne between the plainbearing-surfaces, as in the forms of pintle described above. In thejoint as just described the web and flanges of the rocking member may beomitted and likewise the cooperating grooves in the edges of the membersE F the toothed portions of said parts serving to hold the rockingmember in the proper relation to the other parts.

The apertures for the parts of the joints are so formed in the members 0and D that the part of the pintle which moves in the aperture touchesnothing but the rocking member. This is the case of the pintle Einpassing through the members D and of the asso- -ciate pintle in passingthrough the members 0. This fact and the coaction of the parts of thejoint and also the relative movement of the links are clearly shown onan enlarged scale in Figs. 17, 18, and 19.

If preferred, that part of the joint termed the associate pintle may bedispensed with,

and those members or links D in which it is fixed may be formed as shownin Fig. 9, wherein a projection, as F, is formed at one side of theaperture for the joint and is provided with a bearing-surface for themember G. Said projection is shown adapted for use with a rocking memberlike that seen at G in Fig. 8. If intended to cooperate with one likethat at G in Fig. 5, it would have a face like that of the parts E and Fin Fig. 5. For the parts E projections like F might also be substitutedin the links 0, in which case the member G would be projected throughthe outside links 0 and it or some other suitable means be employed tohold the parts of the chain together.

To increase the strength of the joint without unduly increasing thediameter thereof, the head of the rocking member G may be reduced insize, as shown at G in Fig. 10. In that case it may also be desirable toadd a couple of ribs to the web near the head, as

indicated, suitable grooves being formed in the parts E and F tocooperate with the ribs in maintaining the rocking member in place.

When the rocking member is formed as shown in Fig. 8, the grooves alongthe parts E and F are omitted, as seen in said figure.

In sprocket-gearing where the links arch over the teeth of thesprocket-Wheels, as in the present instance, it is well to provide somemeans for preventing lateral displacement of the chain. The plates K inFig. 1 may be used for this purpose, and it is generally sufficient tothus equip but one of the sprockets. Instead of using these plates K theoutside plates of the links may be made to pass outside of thesprocket-teeth and to take the form shown at C in Fig. 7, or in a chainof the kind seen in Fig. 2 a series of plates through the middle orintermediate portion of the chain may have the same form as 0 and thesprocket may have a groove or cavity formed in its periphery to receivethe projecting portions of said wide plates. This is shown in Figs. 11and 12, wherein said groove appears at L and the wide plates at D Itwill be noticed, particularly in Figs. 1, 17,and 19, that each linkengaged by the 5 sprockets in driving touches the sprockets This isconducive not only to silent running,

but to a reduction in the friction of the chain upon the sprocketwheel.

This invention 1s especially designed for use in general transmission ofpower, and its embodiment and adaptation may be considerably varied fromwhat is above set forth without departing from the invention.

The invention claimed is 1. In a rocker-joint for chains or otherdevices, the combination with one of the hinged parts provided with anaperture and having a bearing-surface, of the other hinged partalsoprovided with an aperture and having a bearing-surface and a memberhaving a dou- 2 5 ble rocking-surface located in said apertures betweensaid bearing-surfaces and adapted to rock on either of them.

2. In a rocker-joint for chains or other de vices, the combination ofone of the hinged 50 parts having an aperture therein and provided witha bearing-surface, of a pintle passing through said aperture and havinga bearing-surface, and a member having a double rocking-surface locatedin the aperture be- 5 tween said bearing-surfaces.

3. In a rocker-joint for chains or other devices, the combination with apintle joining the outside members and having a bearingsurface, of theinside member provided with a bearing-surface cooperating with that ofthe pintle, and a part having twcrrocking-surfaces and located betweensaid bearing-surfaces.

4. In a rocker-joint for chains or other devices, the combination with apintle joining the outside members and having a bearingsurface, of theinside member provided with a bearing-surface cooperating with that ofthe pintle, and a part having rocking-surfaces and located between saidbearing-surfaces and provided with means for retaining it in place withrespect to said bearing-surfaces.

5. In a rocker-joint for chains or other devices, the combination with apintle joining the outside members and having a bearing- 5 5 surface ofan associate pintle with a bearingsurface cooperating with that of thepintle, and a part having rocking-surfaces and located between saidbearing-surfaces and provided with means for retaining it in place withrespect to said bearing-surfaces.

6. A rocker-joint for chain or other devices consisting of two piecesassociated together within the parts connected thereby, and havingopposing bearing-surfaces and a member between said surfaces upon whicheither may rock.

7. In a joint for chains or other devices having parts hinged together,a pintle consisting of two members connected to the respective parts sohinged, and a third member adapted to cooperate with either one of themto form a rocking-surface for the other.

8. In a drive-chain, the combination with outside links, of apintleconnecting them and provided with a bearing-surface, of an inside linkor links provided with a bearing-surface facing that of the pintle, anda member provided with two rocking-surfaces and located between saidbearing-surfaces.

9. The combination with the pintle and associate pintle each providedwith bearing-surfaces and each having a stop or rib at one side of suchsurface, of the rocking member provided with a web to assist inmaintaining cooperation between the rocking member and said ribs,substantially as set forth.

10. A rocker-joint for chain or other devices having two opposingbearing-surfaces, each provided with a toothed portion and a rockingmember located between said surfaces and provided with coactin g toothedportions, for the purpose set forth.

11. In a rocker-joint for chains or other devices the combination withone of the hinged parts provided with an aperture and having abearing-surface and a stop or rib at one side of said bearing-surface,and the other hinged part also provided with an aperture and having abearing-surface and a stop or rib at one side of said bearing-surface,of a rocking member having double rocking-surfaces, and arranged betweensaid bearingsurfaces, and adapted to rock on either of them, saidrocking member being provided at one side of its rocking-surfaces with aflange adapted to engage said stops or ribs.

12. In a rocker-joint for chains or other devices, the combination withone of thehinged parts provided with an aperture and having abearing-surface,and the other hinged part also provided with an apertureand having a bearing -surface, of a rocking member having doublerocking-surfaces located between said bearing surfaces and adapted torock on either of them; each of the bearing-surfaces of said hingedparts being provided with a stop against which the double rocking membermay press While forced obliquely against said bearing-surfaces.

13. The combination with the pintle and associate pintle, each providedwith bearingsurfaces, of the rocking member having a doublerocking-surface and located between said bearing-surfaces and adapted torock on either of them, each of said pintles being provided with a stopor rib at one side of its bearing-surface against which said rockingmember may press while forced obliquely against the bearing-surface ofthe pintle.

14:. A drive-chain having links composed of a plurality of plates whicharch over the sprocket-teeth, one of said plates being wider andextending below other plates of the same link and adapted to engage agroove or cav- TIC plates adapted to arch over the sprocket-teeth, someofsaid plates being provided with projec- 15 tions for engaging thegroove in the sprocket- Wheel to prevent lateral displacement of thechain.

Signed at Trumansburg, in the county of Tompkins and State of New York,this 20th 20 day of February, A. D. 1899.

EVERETT F. MORSE.

W'itnesses:

F. L. MORSE, D. B. PERRY.

